Eagles Basketball Coaches
Head Coach: Matt O'Connor (7th season)
Email: moconnor@ozarks.edu
Matt O'Connor was named the head men's basketball coach at Ozarks on Aug. 14, 2001. O'Connor played college basketball at Davidson College (N.C.), where he earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree in economics in 1991. He received his Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee in 1995.
O'Connor has the third-most career wins in the history of the men's program. He has led the tradition-rich Eagles to the playoffs in three of his six seasons at Ozarks. He has coached numerous All-Conference players during his tenure. O'Connor's 2005-2006 Eagles posted an impressive 10-1 record at home.
O'Connor served as an assistant coach at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, from 1998 to 2001. During the 2000-01 season, he helped the NCAA Division II program advance to the conference tournament for the first time in five years. From 1995-99 O'Connor was at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, where he served first as a volunteer assistant coach and later as an assistant coach for the men's program. He started his coaching career in 1994 as an assistant coach at Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee.
Along with an emphasis on an up tempo style and strong fundamentals, O'Connor believes that intercollegiate athletics should help prepare student-athletes for life. "An effective coach pays attention to each player's total college experience, and is concerned with the academic, personal and athletic development of the individual," he says. "As an educator, it is my intention to foster in each player the goal of performing to the best of his ability, and for the team, collectively, to strive to perform at its best." O'Connor and his wife, Gina, were married in 1998.
Assistant Coach: Luke Hammond (1st season)
Email: lhammond@ozarks.edu
Luke Hammond begins his first season as the assistant men’s basketball coach. A native of Yorktown, Va., Hammond played at Averett University in Danville, Va., for three years. He was team captain his junior season. He was a student assistant at Averett during the 2006-2007 season, helping the Cougars earn a spot in the NCAA III tournament for the first time in 17 years. Hammond’s summer camp experience includes working with the Prep All-Stars Camp in Nashville, Tenn., Blacksburg, Va. and Charlotte, N.C. Hammond graduated from York High School (Va.) and received Second Team All-Conference honors his senior season. He is a 2007 graduate of Averett University where he majored in Physical Education.
Assistant Coach: Bradley James (1st season)
Email: bjames@ozarks.edu
Bradley James begins his first season as an assistant men’s basketball coach. James was a volunteer assistant boy’s basketball coach at Rogers High School during the 2006-2007 season. A native of Heber Springs, Ark., Bradley received his master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Arkansas in 2007.
